On July 17, 2007, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced a final rule to revise and reorganize its regulations pertaining to the importation of fruits and vegetables, otherwise known as its Q-56 regulations. The purpose of the final rule is to simplify and expedite the APHIS process for approving new imports and pest-free areas, and to allow APHIS officials to focus its resources on more complex import issues.
The changes in the rule do not alter which fruits and vegetables are currently eligible for importation or how the risks associated with those commodities are evaluated or mitigated. This rule only makes more timely the approval of fruits and vegetables that are safe for importation into the United States. The Final rule is scheduled for publication in the July 17 Federal Register and will become effective Aug. 16.